The NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme (EME) and the Health Technology Assessment Programme (HTA) are now accepting new grant applications. For further information please use the links below:

• HTA
• EME

A writing workshop has been developed by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) and is directed at researchers who are considering applying to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Surgery Research Call.
For further details please click here

NIHR funding for surgery research

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is launching a call for Surgery Research covering all areas of scientific activity relevant to surgery. The Surgery call for proposals is a key component of the NIHR’s on-going commitment to developing the leading surgical researchers of the future. High quality research in surgery will enable the translation of new techniques and technologies into surgical practice, which is essential for improving patient care and outcomes.

Applications to evaluate technology-driven implanted or implantable medical devices, surgical procedures or surgical services, and supporting multi-disciplinary collaborations are particularly encouraged. Six of the NIHR research programmes will be participating.

The call for proposals opens on 23 February and closes on the 25 May 2012.

The application period is open for a longer than usual, to give the research community as much time as possible to prepare.

Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health said: ”This funding opportunity demonstrates our on-going commitment for high quality research in surgery to improve outcomes for patients. We need research based evidence to help us expand knowledge, improve practice and develop new breakthroughs. I hope surgeons and researchers across the country will come together from a range of disciplines to put forward pioneering applications.”

Further details about the NIHR Surgery Research Call are available here

Abstract

Although current electronic methods of scientific publishing offer increased opportunities for publishing all research studies and describing them in sufficient detail, health research literature still suffers from many shortcomings. These shortcomings seriously undermine the value and utility of the literature and waste scarce resources invested in the research. In recent years there have been several positive steps aimed at improving this situation, such as a strengthening of journals’ policies on research publication and the wide requirement to register clinical trials.

The EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) Network is an international initiative set up to advance high quality reporting of health research studies; it promotes good reporting practices including the wider implementation of reporting guidelines. EQUATOR provides free online resources http://www.equatornetwork.org supported by education and training activities and assists in the development of robust reporting guidelines. This paper outlines EQUATOR’s goals and activities and offers suggestions for organizations and individualsinvolved in health research on how to strengthen research reporting.

Do download a pdf of the full report please click here.

Research methods training bursaries available from NCRM

The ESRC National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is offering training bursaries up to £1000 to enable staff in the UK social science community engaged in research, teaching research methods or supervising research to update their skills. Contract researchers working in HEIs are also eligible for the bursaries. Please note that the bursary scheme is open for applications throughout the year i.e. there are no deadlines for applications.

The ESRC Research Resources Board wishes to improve the standards of research methods and to stimulate the uptake of high quality training courses in research methods across the UK social science community.

Each year there are 50 bursaries for up to £1,000 each to enable staff in the UK social science community engaged in research, teaching research methods or supervising research to update their research skills. Contract researchers working in HEIs are also eligible for the bursaries.

From 1st April 2012, applications can be submitted at any time.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be social scientists.
• Masters or PhD students are not eligible; this scheme cannot be used to fund Masters or Doctoral studies.
• The training course or event must have a clear focus on research methods.
• Applicants can apply for more than one course per year but these must not total more than £1,000 in any one year.
• We would not normally expect to pay for courses at the applicant’s own institution.
• Bursaries are not normally provided for attendance at conferences but may be provided for attendance at training courses being run as part of a conference.
• Applicants can apply for a bursary for training courses outside of the UK but the applicant must demonstrate that the training in question cannot be provided in the UK.

For further information please click here